A total of 882 individuals or 61.25 percent of the 1,440 clients from the different parts of the region passed the free assessment conducted by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) during the First National Technical/Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Competency Assessment and Certification (NATCAC) Week last March 28 to April 1.

According to TESDA-CAR information officer Ma. Socorro Bulatao, the NATCAC week was a success as the region overshot by 17 percent its initial target participants of 1,230.

The activity assessed one overseas Filipino worker, 23 OFW dependents, 177 workers, 12 TVET trainers, and 1,227 students. About 32 percent or 468 of the candidates were from the Baguio-Benguet area.

Bulatao said that of the passers,152 were certified on automotive servicing; book keeping, 20; bread and pastry production, 48; carpentry, 14; commercial cooking,8; computer hardware servicing, 258; driving (NCII), 31; driving (NCIII),21; electrical installation and maintenance, 65; food and beverage services, 100; housekeeping, 130; masonry, 5; programming (NCIV), 3; and shielded metal arch welding (SMAW), 27.

Regional Technical Education and Skills Development Council (RTESDC) chair and Baguio City Councilor, Atty. Betty Lourdes Tabanda, in a statement, underscored the importance of the TESDA certification in providing a competitive edge for graduates in finding employment, locally and abroad.

The TESDA National Certification could be used as another credential in looking for work, locally or abroad or in applying for a better work position.

Nationwide, there were 25,228 individuals who enlisted for the free competency assessment and certification of which 21,646 were successful and were given TESDA National Certifications.

The March 28 to April 1 NATCAC week is the first of the three batches of free assessment that are on scheduled for TESDA Technology Instititutes nationwide. The other NATCAC weeks are scheduled on June 27 – July 1 and August 22 – 26. *(PIA CAR)